Carbon Fiber Car Parts: Right for Your Ride?

As far as vehicular customization materials are concerned, the options have been somewhat limited until the last few years. Metal was the only thing available, unless you wanted to chance fiberglass. Today, carbon fiber is the customization material of choice. It's lightweight, incredibly strong and looks great on today's cars. That said, real carbon fiber is expensive. You can expect to shell out quite a bit for a carbon fiber wing or hood. That begs the question: is carbon fiber right for you?

You can find a number of options available in carbon fiber, from car dash components and other interior goodies to wing spoilers and even entire hoods. A carbon fiber hood weighs considerably less than a metal hood. That means your car is lighter, freeing up horsepower to provide you with additional speed and performance.

Why wouldn't carbon fiber be the right material for you? The high price can be one reason not to use this material. The number of fakes on the market can also be a deterrent, or at least sound a cautionary note. It seems that everyone is marketing accessories covered with fake carbon fiber as the real thing. If you decide that carbon fiber is the right thing for you, choose your source carefully. Remember, carbon fiber costs quite a bit; you're not likely to find real carbon fiber for sale at your local flea market.

Have you every been ripped off by any cheap knock offs?